FALLS OF NIAGARA. 273 



value, and its extent." In crossing the river 

 from Buffalo, the stage took us to Forsyth's 

 Hotel, Niagara Falls. These tremendous cata- 

 racts, at first sight, disappointed my expecta- 

 tions. As we are happier in idea than in reality, 

 so are our expectations raised by representa- 

 tion beyond what can be realised to our view. 

 I gazed upon them, however, with astonish- 

 ment, both from the American side, and also 

 from the banks of the British territory. But it 

 was not till I descended the spiral staircase to 

 the bottom of the precipice, that I felt the 

 overpowering impression of the sublime scenery. 

 From the point on the bed of the River, is seen 

 a blending of beauty, grandeur, and sublimity, 

 which no language can describe. Such is the 

 impression, that the mind labours, but in vain 

 tries, to give vent to its emotions : leading the 

 astonished spectator to exclaim, perhaps, in the 

 language of the Psalmist, when contemplating 

 the wonders of creation, " Great and marvellous 

 are thy works, Lord God Almighty ! " 



Near the Falls are the battle grounds of 

 Chippewa and Lundy's Lane ; and in passing 

 the latter, on my way to Queenston, I observed 

 that some of the houses and trees still bore the 

 marks of the murderous fire of cannon and 



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